Now that the 2007 football season is finished, how would you answer the following questions as they relate to Eastern Kentucky?:

 

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

3. Best overall coaching job this year

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

5. Best offense in EKY this year

6. Best defense in EKY this year

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

8. Best player in EKY this year

9. Best team in EKY this year

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..." :confused:

I'm going to narrow my response to North-Eastern Kentucky, due to the fact that it would be unfair of me to try to compare them with the far Eastern teams.

 

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

I have two. Russell, I don't think many, including the Russell coaching staff, expected Russell to do as well as they did.

Greenup Co. After a slow start, Greenup finished strong and went all the way to the Regional finals, after winning their first playoff game in something like 34 years.

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

Again, I have two. Ashland, even though they were inexperienced, I don't think most people expected them to be as down as they were.

Lawrence Co. I honestly thought that Lawrence would win the district and be much better then they were.

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year

Ivan McGlone over achieved this year. I think he took Russell farther then even he expected.

Mike Sammons, even though the Greenup faithful dislike him, he proved that in the face of turmoil, he can still get the best out of his team.

 

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

The "best" is hard to characterize. The best attended and most anticipated game was the Raceland/Russell game, and all in all was a very good and fun game to watch.

I did not attend the Lawrence/Boyd or the Boyd/Greenup games, but I did understand they were great games.

Raceland/Fairview game in the first round of the playoffs was a great game as well.

 

5. Best offense in EKY this year

Russell had a solid offense, not to flashy, but was productive.

Raceland had an explosive offense and was well balanced.

Johnson Central had a great offense with scoring ability from anywhere on the field, probably the best in the area.

 

6. Best defense in EKY this year

Russell had a solid defense, with a great deal of team speed, the most team speed on defense that I seen this year.

Fairview had a solid defense as well.

 

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

Raceland, Jacob Sparks was the best kicker in the area, had a game winning FG against Ashland as time expired, and had a great deal of touch backs. Sparks also handled the punts and did a fine job doing so.

 

8. Best player in EKY this year

Grimm from Johnson Central, I believe he had something like 2500 all purpose yards.

Britt Lewis Co, not a good team performance, but he had 99 receptions for 1200 yards, I think. Great player, just did not get much attention due to the team performance.

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

Johnson Central.

 

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..."

Greenup Co, a strange animal. I don't know what to think, a terrible regular season, but a strong playoff performance, either the talent was there and not coming out, or they greatly overachieved during the playoffs.

[6. Best defense in EKY this year

Russell had a solid defense, with a great deal of team speed, the most team speed on defense that I seen this year.

Fairview had a solid defense as well.

 

Belfry hands down, no questions.

 

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

Johnson Central.

 

Again Belfry was head and shoulders above the Eagles.

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

 

I've got to go with Pulaski County on this one. They came into the year off of back to back 2 win seasons and ended up 10-2 with both losses coming to Lincoln County.

 

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

 

I'll stay in Pulaski County for this one also. Southwestern was touted by several as "reloading not rebuilding" this season. They ended up 2-8 and missed the playoffs--which is hard to do given the current system.

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year

 

I've got to go with Mark Dixon of Hazard for this one, 13-1 and the State Semis.

 

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

 

I've got to go with the Somerset-Corbin game that The Redhounds won 56-47.

 

 

5. Best offense in EKY this year

 

Belfry, just brutal efficiency, 627 points scored. Their passing game was limited but why pass with that running game.

 

6. Best defense in EKY this year

 

Belfry again.

 

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

 

I can't give an objective opinion on this one because special teams don't often make the highlights. The best I saw was Somerset, Kenny Hughes did a very good job punting, Will Wilson was very solid on extra-points, field goals and kickoffs and John Cole ran back 3 kicks for touchdowns and caused most teams to kick the ball out of bounds or squib kickoffs.

 

8. Best player in EKY this year

 

John Cole, he ended his career with a bunch of records and faced double or triple teams each week--he approached last seasons record breaking numbers--without Ross Deaton throwing him the ball.

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

 

Belfry hands down. Bell County would probably be second.

 

 

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..."

 

Perry County Central scoring 68 on Clay County in their first meeting then following that up with 14 in the playoffs. Perhaps the calls really were that bad the first time around.

3. Best overall coaching job this year

 

Some great coaching this year. I go with Mark Dixon at Hazard also.

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year-

My vote would go to the Letcher Central Cougars. After dropping their first game to a very good Hazard team, they went on to win 11 straight.

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year- The Pikeville Panthers. Pikeville returned all their skill players from last season and had the bracket lay-out as pretty as a picture for a shot at the carpet, only to get blown out in the Regional Finals, and blown out by all the quality teams on their schedule.

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year- Mark Dixon of Hazard. When iIsaw the Bulldogs in the pre-season I figured they would be a solid 1A team, but never would have expected them to make the state semi's with a record of 13-1 and a #1 ranking at part of the season.

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year- Either Somerset vs. Corbin, or Somerset vs. Pulaski County.

5. Best offense in EKY this year- Belfry had their way against all the EKY teams thye played, and probably would have done so against the EKY teams they didn't play.

6. Best defense in EKY this year- Belfry

7. Best special teams in EKY this year- Bell County, excellent athletes for kick returners and by far the best kicker in EKY.

8. Best player in EKY this year- Call me biased, but I'd have to choose Dustin May of Belfry over John Cole. May led Belfry to the state finals and was easily the most dominant player on both sides of the ball in EKY. It also doesn't hurt that May put on a show in the head to head matchup, whereas the majority of Cole's stats in that game in the 4th Quarter.

9. Best team in EKY this year- Belfry and Bell County were close... but by way of advancing the farthest, and beating more top tier EKY teams, I'll take Belfry.

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..." - I expected Ashland to take some lumps this year (thus negating them as the biggest disappointment) but never would have imagined their seaosn would turn out how it did.

I'm going to narrow my response to North-Eastern Kentucky, due to the fact that it would be unfair of me to try to compare them with the far Eastern teams.

 

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

I have two. Russell, I don't think many, including the Russell coaching staff, expected Russell to do as well as they did.

Greenup Co. After a slow start, Greenup finished strong and went all the way to the Regional finals, after winning their first playoff game in something like 34 years.

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

Again, I have two. Ashland, even though they were inexperienced, I don't think most people expected them to be as down as they were.

Lawrence Co. I honestly thought that Lawrence would win the district and be much better then they were.

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year

Ivan McGlone over achieved this year. I think he took Russell farther then even he expected.

Mike Sammons, even though the Greenup faithful dislike him, he proved that in the face of turmoil, he can still get the best out of his team.

 

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

The "best" is hard to characterize. The best attended and most anticipated game was the Raceland/Russell game, and all in all was a very good and fun game to watch.

I did not attend the Lawrence/Boyd or the Boyd/Greenup games, but I did understand they were great games.

Raceland/Fairview game in the first round of the playoffs was a great game as well.

 

5. Best offense in EKY this year

Russell had a solid offense, not to flashy, but was productive.

Raceland had an explosive offense and was well balanced.

Johnson Central had a great offense with scoring ability from anywhere on the field, probably the best in the area.

 

6. Best defense in EKY this year

Russell had a solid defense, with a great deal of team speed, the most team speed on defense that I seen this year.

Fairview had a solid defense as well.

 

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

Raceland, Jacob Sparks was the best kicker in the area, had a game winning FG against Ashland as time expired, and had a great deal of touch backs. Sparks also handled the punts and did a fine job doing so.

 

8. Best player in EKY this year

Grimm from Johnson Central, I believe he had something like 2500 all purpose yards.

Britt Lewis Co, not a good team performance, but he had 99 receptions for 1200 yards, I think. Great player, just did not get much attention due to the team performance.

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

Johnson Central.

 

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..."

Greenup Co, a strange animal. I don't know what to think, a terrible regular season, but a strong playoff performance, either the talent was there and not coming out, or they greatly overachieved during the playoffs.

 

 

I can answer the question about Greenup. There was nothing strange about their season, they just simply played no competition in the playoffs what-so-ever. They had a bad regular season because they were facing descent competition but once they go into district play and the playoffs they were just the best team out of the four bad teams. When you only have a four team district and all four of those teams have losing records, there is still going to be one team that comes out on top. Greenup was just the best team in one of the weakest districts in the state.

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

 

Letcher Co. Central. Program made leaps and bounds this year in its short existence as a program. 9-1 and a Regional Finals appearance was pretty impressive I thought.

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

 

Pikeville Panthers. I really thought this team would make some noise deep into the playoffs this year. The athleticism this school showed for a 1A school was amazing. So much talent but I felt they underachieved.

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year

 

Coach Dixon of Hazard. Impressive run this year by the Bulldogs. Trip to the State Semi's along with a perfect 10-0 regular season.

 

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

 

Somerset-Corbin. Shootout with two of our areas strongest and historic programs.

 

5. Best offense in EKY this year

 

Belfry. The Pirates may have a old school-smashmouth football approach, but the yards where no lie. May and Lee were a heck of a combo.

 

6. Best defense in EKY this year

 

Once again Belfry. Best defense I seen this year easily. Lots of speed all over the field with a touch of hard hitting, bringing the wood style defense.

 

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

 

Well the Pirates cant have it all, although they are close.:lol: I give this to the Bell Co. Bobcats. Merrick appears to be the next great kicker the Bluegrass state has produced. Anything beyond 50yds is not joke.

 

8. Best player in EKY this year

 

John Cole of Somerset. This kid continued to make plays with doube and triple coverage. Cant wait to see what this kid can do at the next level.

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

 

Belfry

 

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..."

 

2007 College Football Season:D

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

Hazard

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

Pikeville

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year

Phillip Haywood/Hillard Howard/Ivan McGlone/Dudley Hilton/Mike Holcomb

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

Pulaksi v. Somerset

 

5. Best offense in EKY this year

Belfry

 

6. Best defense in EKY this year

Belfry

 

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

Not sure

 

8. Best player in EKY this year

John Cole

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

Belfry

 

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..."

Ashland's refusal to play Belfry a 2-year Home-and-Home series.

Greenup had the skill to be one of the best teams in the area this year, I can sum up what happened to them in three words play calling, disipline. Both got better at the end of the year when Sammons went up in the box.

1. Most pleasant surprise in EKY this year

Hazard

 

2. Biggest disappointment in EKY this year

Pikeville

 

3. Best overall coaching job this year

Phillip Haywood/Hillard Howard/Ivan McGlone/Dudley Hilton/Mike Holcomb

4. Best game between two EKY teams this year

Pulaksi v. Somerset

 

5. Best offense in EKY this year

Belfry

 

6. Best defense in EKY this year

Belfry

 

7. Best special teams in EKY this year

Not sure

 

8. Best player in EKY this year

John Cole

 

9. Best team in EKY this year

Belfry

 

10. The one thing that made you say, "Hmm..."

Ashland's refusal to play Belfry a 2-year Home-and-Home series.

 

I didnt know about Ashland refusing to play Belfry. I hate dodging people but I wouldnt want to play them either. Actually I think that it would good to play better competition to get ready for district play.

I didnt know about Ashland refusing to play Belfry. I hate dodging people but I wouldnt want to play them either. Actually I think that it would good to play better competition to get ready for district play.

They didn't exactly refuse to play, they just wouldn't agree to a two year home and home with the Pirates. Belfry traveled to Ashland last season in a one year deal instead.

 

Ashland got Pikeville to agree to a two year deal where Pikeville has to travel to Ashland both years.

[/b]

 

 

I can answer the question about Greenup. There was nothing strange about their season, they just simply played no competition in the playoffs what-so-ever. They had a bad regular season because they were facing descent competition but once they go into district play and the playoffs they were just the best team out of the four bad teams. When you only have a four team district and all four of those teams have losing records, there is still going to be one team that comes out on top. Greenup was just the best team in one of the weakest districts in the state.

 

They had a great shot to beat Harrison who was not a bad team.

Why diss a team who had a good playoff run?

They didn't exactly refuse to play, they just wouldn't agree to a two year home and home with the Pirates. Belfry traveled to Ashland last season in a one year deal instead.

 

Ashland got Pikeville to agree to a two year deal where Pikeville has to travel to Ashland both years.

 

After the bluster some Ashland faithful made last year about "P-burg won't play Ashland", it was the Tomcats who wouldn't sign a home/away with P-burg this year and next.

 

But, I suppose if another respected team like Pikeville (even if it's 3 classes smaller) can be convinced to go to Ashland for a two year series, it makes sense from their perspective, $$ wise.

 

:bunny: